Sports
Spanish fan detained in Iran while hiking to World Cup
On 1 October, Spanish trekker and football fanatic Santiago Sánchez posted a series of photos to Instagram.
“Last village in northern Iraq, a mountain separates me from reaching Iran, the next country before reaching Qatar,” he wrote, alongside photos of his trip through Iraq.
Sánchez was nearing the final leg of his mammoth trek from Madrid to Doha for the Fifa 2022 World Cup. He has not posted since. All contact was lost on 2 October.After weeks of concern among friends and family over his whereabouts, it emerged that the 41-year-old was in custody in the Iranian capital, Tehran.
“He has been arrested and he is now in a Tehran prison,” one of his friends, Francho Salamanca, told BBC News.
Spain’s foreign ministry told the BBC that its embassy in Tehran was in contact with Iranian authorities, but would not comment further. Iran’s foreign ministry did not respond immediately to a request for comment.What happened to Sánchez upon entering Iran is not fully clear.
The Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, based across the border in Iraqi Kurdistan, cited anonymous sources as saying he had been “kidnapped by Iranian security forces” after visiting the grave of Mahsa Amini, who died in custody after being arrested for allegedly wearing her hijab “improperly”.
Protests have swept across Iran since Ms Amini, 22, died on 16 September. Norway-based Iran Human Rights says at least 234 protesters, including 29 children, have been killed by security forces in crackdowns so far. Iran’s leaders have portrayed the unrest as “riots” fomented by foreigners.
Sánchez, a former paratrooper and passionate Real Madrid fan, was planning to go to Tehran, where a television station wanted to interview him. He was then going to head to Bandar Abbas, a port in southern Iran, where he would travel by boat to Qatar.He told his friends and family that he would have little internet in Iran, so initially they had not been too worried when he was not contacting them. But concern grew after he failed to contact his parents for 10 days, and they reported him missing on 17 October.
“We are deeply worried, we can’t stop crying, my husband and I,” his mother, Celia Cogedor, told the Associated Press news agency earlier this week.
When family and friends were told by the Spanish government that Sánchez was in jail, no official reason was given for his detention.His mother told AP that the family was “filled with hope” after hearing that he had been detained.His sister was due to meet officials at the Spanish foreign ministry in Madrid on Thursday to learn further details, AP reported.
Sánchez started his trip in January, travelling across Europe and Turkey, sleeping in a tent, hotels and people’s homes, before entering Iraq.In August he said he dreamed of meeting the Spanish team in Qatar and hoped to inspire them to victory.
“If you don’t set a date for your dreams, you don’t realise them,” he told Reuters news agency, in reference to the 20 November kick-off.
(BBC Sports)
Sri Lanka survived an early onslaught to qualify for the 2026 T20 World Cup Super Eights, leaving Australia right at the exit door and hoping for a miracle.
The returning captain Mitchell Marsh and the returning-to-runs Travis Head were brutal in taking Australia to 104 in the first 50 legal deliveries, but some spectacular fielding and spin bowling helped Sri Lanka take 10 for 77 off the last 70 balls.
In front of a partying full house in Pallekele, Sri Lanka’s two most prolific batters, Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis, brought out both the axe and paper cuts to slice through the chase. Nissanka, who had earlier dropped Glenn Maxwell and then dismissed him with a stunner, went on to score an unbeaten hundred and take Sri Lanka home with two overs to spare.
In the absence of Matheesha Pathirana, who walked off with a calf injury in his first over, their spinners contributed six wickets to go with excellent closing from Dushmantha Chameera. Australia’s lead spinner Adam Zampa, among the best T20 spinners of all time, took no wicket and was lucky to go for only 41 in his four overs.
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka 184/2 in 18 overs [Pathum Nissanka 100*, Kusal Mendis 51, Pavan Rathnayake 2*; Marcus Stoinis 2-41] beat Australia 181/10 in 20 overs [Mitchell Marsh 54, Travis Head 56, Josh Inglis 27, Glenn Maxwell 22; Dushmantha Chameera 2-56, Maheesh Theekshana 1-37, Dushan Hemantha 3-37, Dunith Wellalage 1-33, Kamindu Mendis 1-19] by eight wickets
[Cricinfo]
A win against Canada in their first T20I against them on Tuesday will firm up New Zealand’s spot in the Super Eight. This result will also knock out Canada; South Africa have already qualified for the next round from Group D with three wins in as many games.
New Zealand have faced Canada just three times in international cricket so far – each time in ODI World Cups. Their most recent meeting coming in the 2011 edition in Mumbai. They have won all three games and are poised to make it 4-0 against Canada in World Cups, despite the absence of Lockie Ferguson. The fast bowler has returned home for the birth of his first child and is expected to link up with the side ahead of the Super Eight. In Ferguson’s absence, Kyle Jamieson, who wasn’t even in the main squad in the first place, is set to make his T20 World Cup bow.
As for Canada, they had their moments against South Africa and UAE but they have failed to convert those into wins. On Friday in Delhi, they had UAE at 66 for 4 in the 13th over in a chase of 151, but they left the door ajar for Aryansh Sharma and Sohaib Khan to sneak home. Canada can’t afford such slip-ups against New Zealand – and then Afghanistan – if they are to notch up a win in this World Cup.
Kyle Jamieson doesn’t quite have Ferguson’s express pace, but can bang it away on a hard length and stifle the opposition batters. He also has some slower variations in his repertoire and his high-arm release could pose a big threat, especially to batters who are facing him for the first time.
Once known as “Vettori” in Canada’s club cricket circuit, Saad Bin Zafar will run into the team that was once captained by one of his heroes. The Canada left-arm spinner often attacks the stumps and keeps it tight, as his economy rate of 6.02 across 67 T20Is suggests. At 39, Saad knows he won’t be playing the game for long and will be eager to cause a few upsets on the big stage.
Jamieson is set to slot in for Ferguson unless New Zealand want to give veteran legspinner Ish Sodhi a game.
New Zealand (probable): Tim Seifert (wk), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner (capt), Jimmy Neesham, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy
Canada are likely to play the same XI that lost to South Africa and UAE.
Canada (probable): Dilpreet Bajwa (capt), Yuvraj Samra, Navneet Dhaliwal, Nicholas Kirton, Shreyas Movva (wk), Harsh Thaker, Saad Bin Zafar, Jaskaran Singh, Dilon Heyliger, Kaleem Sana, Ansh Patel
[Cricinfo]
Sri Lanka fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana left the field four balls into his first over, after collapsing to the ground clutching his left calf, and did not return to the field during Sri Lanka’s bowling innings against Australia. Having briefly received treatment from the Sri Lanka physiotherapist immediately after sustaining the injury, Pathirana hobbled off the field with assistance from support staff.
He then spent the majority of the innings being treated in the dressing room. Sri Lanka will likely send him off for scans as soon as the match finishes.
“Matheesha Pathirana experienced discomfort in his left leg calf while bowling during the match and was unable to continue,” a statement read. “He will not bowl further in this game. A scan will be conducted tomorrow to determine the extent of the injury.”
Pathirana had begun well against Australia, bowling two dot balls and giving away three runs (including a wide) in those first four deliveries. The last two balls of the over were delivered by Dasun Shanaka, who gave away a four and bowled a dot.
Pathirana is the quickest bowler in Sri Lanka’s attack, and a key part of their death-bowling plans for the tournament in particular. He is also the second Sri Lanka bowler to come under an injury cloud, with Wanindu Hasaranga already having been ruled out of the World Cup with a hamstring injury of his own.
After this game against Australa, Sri Lanka have another group match to play, against Zimbabwe. They have not earned qualification for the Super Eights yet.
(Cricinfo)
Nissanka ton stuns Australia, puts Sri Lanka in Super Eights
New Zealand eye Super Eight spot against Canada
Pathirana under injury cloud as he leaves the field early
Raza: Win over Australia ‘will count for nothing if we slip up now’
Kusal Perera in as Sri Lanka bowl; Marsh returns for Australia
Jacks the star as England qualify for Super Eights with nervy win
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
Life style2 days agoMarriot new GM Suranga
-
Features2 days agoMonks’ march, in America and Sri Lanka
-
Midweek Review6 days agoA question of national pride
-
Business21 hours agoMinistry of Brands to launch Sri Lanka’s first off-price retail destination
-
Business6 days agoAutodoc 360 relocates to reinforce commitment to premium auto care
-
Opinion5 days agoWill computers ever be intelligent?
-
Features2 days agoThe Rise of Takaichi
-
Features2 days agoWetlands of Sri Lanka: